Motor suspension.



No. 644,196. Patented Feb. 27.1900. s. CLARKSON.

I MOTOR SUSPENSION.

(Application filed Apr. 4, 1899.]

(No Model.)

dl /A AT OHNEY.

UNITED STATES FFICE.

FATENT SAMUEL E. CLARKSON, OF JOHN STOWN, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THEJOHNSON COMPANY, OF PENNSYLVANIA.

MOTOR SUSPENSION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 644,196, dated February27, leoo.

Application filed April 4, 1899. Serial No. 711,731. (No model.) I

To ail whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. CLARKSON, of Johnstown, in the county ofOambria and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Motor Suspensions, of which the following is a full,clear,

' and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to a certain new and improved suspension forelectric-railway motors; and it has for its object the provision of asimple and durable suspension by which the axles are relieved from thedead-weight of the motors, but which at the same time retains theadvantage of a sleeve connection between the motors and the drivenaxles, and also, to provide, Without multiplication or complication ofparts, a motor suspension which is independent of the truck-frame and iselastically supported upon the axles in a manner to equalize to a largeextent the vertical movement and to hold them more steady in runningpositions, while at the same time they are efiectively cushioned, andstrains due to rigid connections are avoided, as are also thedeleterious effects of that looseness which is almost sure to resultfrom the absence of a flexible or spring support. I attain these objectsby the means which I have shown and will now describe.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of such portions ofan electric-car truck and its motors as are sufficient to illustrate thecharacter and application of my improved motor suspension. Fig. 2 isasection on the line X X of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is an end view.

' In the drawings, A A designate the driven axles, and B B themotor-casings, composed of upper and lower shell-sections Z) I).motor-armatures revolve in these casings on the shafts O and drive theaxles by means of meshing gears inclosed in the gear-casings D.

The casings B B are formed with sleeve extensions B, which surround therespective axles and serve to center the motors thereon. Said sleeveextensions are each provided with a pair of vertical guide rods or postsE.

The

F designates the suspension-frame, comprising, preferably, two parallelbars, which extend longitudinally of the truck and whose end portionsare received in the space between the guide rods or posts E of oppositepairs of said rods or posts and rest in such spaces between upper andlower spring-cushions Gr, placed on said rods or posts. The lowersprings are seated on the motor-case extensions B and the upper springson the frame-bars F, suitable plates 0 being employed to confine theupper springs and to provide a proper bearing for both upper and lowersprings in the said bars.

Each motor-casing has side lugs H, which are slotted to receive the barsof the frame, and thus suspend and support the motor therefrom.

It will be observed that the spring-frame not only forms an elasticsupport for the motors and relieves the axles of their dead weight, butthat by reason of its limited upward and endwise movements it operatesas an equalizer, whereby vertical movement of either motor independentlyof the motion of the truck is transmitted to the opposite end portion ofthe frame and is received upon the springs there, as well as by the moreimmediate springs. In this manner the tendency of the motors to throw inopposite directions by reason of the forces of rotation of theirarmatures is received by the frame and equalized by its springs, so thatsuch motion is considerably reduced or limited, the motors are held muchmore steady in running, and injurious rebounding action s prevented.

In a motor suspension of this typethe entire weight of the motors is ofcourse carried by the axles, and it is therefore desirable that as largea percentage of that weight as possible shall be transmitted to theaxles through springs. This is accomplished in the present suspension byreason of the fact that the engagement of the side lugs H of the motorswith the side bars F is at points almost directly over the center ofgravity of the motors, thereby throwing nearly all the weight upon saidbars and to the axles through the springs G. 4

It will also be observed that the parts comprising the suspension arefew in number, strong and durable in character, are convenientlylocated, and do not unduly complicate the truck.

- I do not desire tolimit myself to the specific construction which Ihave shown and described for the purpose of illustrating the invention,for many modifications can be made without departing from the spirit andscope of the invention.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination with a pair of motors, sleeved to their respectiveaxles, of a frame extending from axle to axle and supported by thesleeve portions of the motors, said frame in turn supporting saidmotors, the connection between said motors and the frame beingsubstantially in the lines of the centers of gravity of the motors.

2. The combination with a pair of motors sleeved to their respectiveaxles, of a pair of side bars extending from axle to axle and supportedat their ends from the sleeve portions of the motors, each of said sidebars supportingone side of both of said motors at points substantiallyin the lines of the centers of gravity of the motors.

3. The combination with a pair of motors sleeved to their respectiveaxles, of a pair of side bars extending from axle to axle, sideconnections between the said bars and the motors at points substantiallyin the lines of the centers of gravity of said motors, and springsbetween the said side bars and each of said motors.

4. The combination with the motors sleeved to the driven axles, of asuspension-frame spring-supported at its ends upon the sleeve portionsof the motors, and means on the motors engaging the said bars at pointssubstantially over the center of gravity of the motors.

5. The combination with the motors sleeved to the driven axles,ofasuspension-frame common to both motors and spring-supported over theaxles, and connections between the said frame and the motors at pointssubstantially in the line of the centers of gravity of the motors.

6. The combination with the motors sleeved to the axle, and havingspringseats and springs above the axle, of a suspension-frame connectedto the motors at points between the axles and substantially in the lineof the centers of gravity of the-motors, said frame being seated uponsaid springs.

'7. The combination with the motors centered on the driven axles, andhaving springs or cushions adjacent to the axles, of a suspension-frameconnected to both motors between the axles and at points substantiallyin the vertical lines of the centers of gravity of motors, andelastically connected thereto at points above the axles.

9. The combination with the axles, and the motors having their casingssleeved thereto, of a suspension and equalizing frame by which saidmotors are supported, elastic supports for said frame carried by thesaid casings and connections between the said casings and the said frameat points substantiallyin the vertical lines of the centers of gravityof the motors.

10. The combination with the axles, and the motor-casings havingextensions sleeved on said axles, and provided with spring-seats on saidextensions, of the suspension-frame elas tically supported on saidseats, said frame being disconnected from the truck-frame and axles andprojections on the motor-casings loosely engaging the said frame.

11. The combination of the axles, the mo tor-casings sleeved thereto,and provided with guide extensions above the axle, the upper and lowercushions seated on said extensions, and a suspension-frame whose endportions are seated between the said cushions together with projectionson the motor-casings which embrace the said frame.

12. The combination of the axles,- the mo= tor-casings having extensionssleeved to said axle, guides on said extensions, springs carried by saidguides, a suspension-frame whose end portions are seated in said guidesand between said springs, and connections between the said frame and themotor-casings at points substantially in the vertical lines of thecenters of gravity of the said motors.

13. The combination of the axles, the motor-casings having sleeveextensions for engagement with said axles, and side lugs to receive asuspension-frame, guides carried by said sleeve extensions, springscarried by said guides, and the suspension-frame having its end portionsseated in said guides and against the said springs and also engagingsaid lugs.

14. The combination with the two motorcasings having the sleeveextensions, the guides carried by said extensions, and the slotted sidelugs, of the suspension-frame movably engaging said lugs orextensions,and elastically seated in said guides.

15. The combination with the axles, the motor-casings having the sleeveextensions engaging said axles, the guiderods or posts carried by saidextensions, and the slotted side lugs, of the suspension-frameconsisting of a pair of longitudinal bars which pass through tors andcarrying said frame; substantialiy as 16 specified.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my sig= nature in presence of twowitnesses.

SAMUEL E. CLARKSON.

Witnesses:

W. MIER. BROWN, MYRTLE E. SHARPE.

